Pressure washer for sub £100

Miles253

Hey guys

I'm lazy, so when it comes to rinsing my bike clean after a degrease, I want it do it as quickly and easily as possible, as who really likes cleaning there bike? I've been looking at washers for a while, but can't really decide which one to go for. Budget is £100 ideally under, but I would like some recommendations from anybody that owns one. It will be used as alternative To a hose as I have no garden and therefore no outside tap.

If there are any cheaper methods, I am all ears, I'm open to a home made jobby.

Thanks

Anonymous

I like cleaning my bike :P Its just finding the time to do it thats tough.

Have a pressure washer but would never use it on the road bike :shock:
Whats on it that you need a pressure washer to get off?
Is it just for the chain/cassette?

You need a hose or water supply for a pressure washer and an even bigger area is going to get wet when using it, so I do not see the need or how its a better way to clean your bike.

I do not even use the pressure washer on the car unless the wheels are really dirty and/or to get mud etc. off.
I still wash it with a normal hose afterwards.

'Pressure' is not needed.
'Power showers' are cr4p too. A big shower head with lots of water at low pressure is far better than a small one at high pressure.

rafletcher

As above, for rinsing after a degrease a hosepipe and standard water pressure is enough. Bearings on bikes aren't designed to resist high pressure water jets. The ONLY time I'd consider using one is on a 'cross or other off-road machine. And then from a distance.

Cheap pressure washers are (IMO) overrated (I have a Halfords one), and "pukka" ones (like the local car war uses) waaay too powerful for bike cleaning (and frankly should be banned as my neighbour uses his on his bloody patio the first fine day of the year, for about 4 hours!). Add to that garden vacuums/blowers, and strimmers. Grrrrrrrrr

Bar Shaker

I just bought a Bosch 120 Aquatek. It is very powerful and replaces a previous version that lasted over 10 years. These are very slightly over your budget.

Just like the last jet wash, this one will never go near any of my bikes.

navrig2

Jet wash = washed out bearings = rough ride and broken bike.

I reckon I washed out the bearings on my prolite wheels with just the garden hose set to a jet. A jet wash would have been worse.

paulbnix

^^
Just a ordinary hose washed out my BB and the headset bearings.
No way would I direct a pressure washer at it.

Miles253

Why do all the pro mechanics seem to use washers then? I watched a good video yesterdays of OPQS mechanic cleaning the bikes. Now I understand the need for speed when cleaning 9 bikes, but it seemed to be an effective way of rinsing off soap, degreaser and cleaner. Am I wrong?

paulbnix

I've watched the video that you refer to and see how easy he makes cleaning a bike look.
I see that he uses a fine spray and that might minimise the water ingress but I still would not do it unless I wanted to replace the bearings frequently.

Bar Shaker

Also consider that OP probably rebuild the bottom bracket and get new wheels from the factory for each race.

Miles253

Yeah I hadn't considered that... Mere mortals lack that luxury. Would you say that a normal hose would suffice for a rinse then, of course taking care around the bearings? I could lead a hose from the house I guess, get a long one off of eBay.

This is the video btw
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf80DnCgHRQ

cycleclinic

Bike shops love people who pressure wash there bikes I know I do as that bike needs lots of work and well it keeps the lights on. Do you like handing over your hard earned cash for maintance that could be easily avoided if so buy a pressure washer and keep your LBS happy.

Bar Shaker

A bucket of clean water should be all you need to rinse it off.

Anonymous

A much much better option for rinsing off stuff from a bike is one of those garden spray things you pressurise by hand.
Its the same principle as a pressure washer (small quantities of water at higher pressure) but on a smaller bike component friendly scale.

They are handy things to have. I used it to shower with during the floods when we had no mains water for weeks.

antsmithmk

All the teams at cross races have petrol powered pressure washers.

CYCLESPORT1

Bucket, brush, water - all you need + a dab of washing up liquid

cycleclinic

And teams have mechanics to replace/service everything which is probably mullered after a season of CX use anyway.

on-yer-bike

CYCLESPORT1 wrote:

Bucket, brush, water - all you need + a dab of washing up liquid

dont use washing up liquid it has salt in it.

Miles253

If not washing up liquid, then what? Dedicated bike cleaner stuff? I haven't found one that mixes well with water yet.

peteone

Fenwicks FS1 for me. £10 will get you around 11 litres when diluted. Dilute it into an old spray bottle. Then just rinse with a hose.

http://www.singletrackbikes.co.uk/m8b10 ... tAodAjMAzg

CYCLESPORT1

on-yer-bike wrote:

CYCLESPORT1 wrote:

Bucket, brush, water - all you need + a dab of washing up liquid

dont use washing up liquid it has salt in it.

Not all do

rozzer32

Miles253 wrote:

If not washing up liquid, then what? Dedicated bike cleaner stuff? I haven't found one that mixes well with water yet.

Look at the Morgan Blue range. Really good stuff!!

meanredspider

on-yer-bike wrote:

dont use washing up liquid it has salt in it.

Utter utter Bollox!!!

Where did this come from??? Manufacturers of expensive cleaning products I guess. Please stop saying this. I used to manage the process that made Fairy Liquid - no salt to be seen anywhere or anything resembling salt.

Miles253

Right so there are several options, mashing up liquid is cheap, surely with a good rinse, salt or no salt it shouldn't cause any damage? Seeming as road salt can just be rinsed off to prevent corrosion.

As for the dedicated stuff, I'll check on the brands mentioned, thanks for the help chaps.

Edit:
I came across this, a little expensive but comes with all I should need, much of which I was going to buy anyway (I.e. Brushes and stuff) guess it could still be cheaper to cobble together the same thing, from other places but I would still need to plump for the actual cleaners, which is most of the cost, worth the effort?

meanredspider

Use some car polish (there's even some dirt resistant product) on the frame afterwards and water and dirt tends to bead off

mechanism

Carbonator wrote:

A much much better option for rinsing off stuff from a bike is one of those garden spray things you pressurise by hand.
Its the same principle as a pressure washer (small quantities of water at higher pressure) but on a smaller bike component friendly scale.

They are handy things to have. I used it to shower with during the floods when we had no mains water for weeks.

Also a bit of a bargain at £7 or £10 at Wilkinsons.

Stormtrooper

Turtle wax zip wax for cars.
I little in a bucket with a sponge.